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Who's got the best value in a GOOD, HIGH QUALITY piston driven AR out there currently?

I had a regular gas injection Bushmaster years ago, but got rid of it, the piston driven guns started coming out not long after that. I looked at their gun, $1500 and up is a bit more than I want to spend.

I see Ruger is asking $2K for theirs - no thanks.

Other suggestions?

I have a Kel Tec SU16 that's piston op, but I really kind of worry if it's as tough as a piston AR or even a Mini 14?

I don't know enough about them to say if they are worth it, but Bushmaster makes a $400-ish piston system that can be used in place of the gas system on a typical AR. Build an with the system, and you can likely keep your cost under $1000 (parts build an economical AR minus the cost of the parts you don't need (as they are replaced by the piston system - like the gas tube/gas block, etc.), plus the cost of the piston conversion system). Midway had a sale price of $399 IIRC on the Bushy gas conversion system a couple days ago, probably still in effect. I don't know if that is a competitive price on the system or not, but it is a reference point.

I bought a Sig556 (it's piston-driven action) and soon after bought an AR as I wanted the parts interchangeability and options that the AR platform offers. I considered selling the Sig, but then I cleaned it and remembered how easy it is to clean, what a nice quality the components are, and how low the market is right now...so I have decided to keep it.

I don't know enough about them to say if they are worth it, but Bushmaster makes a $400-ish piston system that can be used in place of the gas system on a typical AR. Build an with the system, and you can likely keep your cost under $1000 (parts build an economical AR minus the cost of the parts you don't need (as they are replaced by the piston system - like the gas tube/gas block, etc.), plus the cost of the piston conversion system). Midway had a sale price of $399 IIRC on the Bushy gas conversion system a couple days ago, probably still in effect. I don't know if that is a competitive price on the system or not, but it is a reference point.

I bought a Sig556 (it's piston-driven action) and soon after bought an AR as I wanted the parts interchangeability and options that the AR platform offers. I considered selling the Sig, but then I cleaned it and remembered how easy it is to clean, what a nice quality the components are, and how low the market is right now...so I have decided to keep it.

BTW - nice avatar!

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I considered that (just buying a Bushy piston upper and building a gun) but I figured by the time I got done doing that and getting it tricked out the way I wanted it after starting from scratch (w/ all Bushy parts mind you) I would not be that far off from the price of their gun (turn key version).

I wish now I had just kept my old 16 Bushy AK carbine , all I would have needed would have been a complete piston upper, an M4 style stock, and some sights. Oh well.

Why Bushmaster? Why not try a quality AR from one of the better makers before worrying about the pistol system. LMT, BCM, LaRue, etc.

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Thank you, but no thank you.

Sorry, I am of the "piston driven upper AR" crowd and do not wish to debate the pros and cons of the two designs in this thread. I am only looking for info on piston driven guns here, but thank you again for your info.

I had no issues w/ the quality of the Bushy traditional gas injected gun I had, I merely rushed into the purchase uninformed around '99, got a gun w/ a less than 16" barrel I was not happy w/, an AK brake that was REALLY loud, got stuck then w/ a traditional A2 stock I did not want, and a non-flat top upper I did not want either.

All my fault, all made in one of those "gotta have one" decision purchases.

I would have dumped the gun regardless b/c the price of correcting everything I did not like about the gun was pretty close to the price of correcting it w/ another traditional gas injected gun when I sold it in '06 or so.

I'm still not a Ruger fan either way, but even at that price I'd still be more tempted to lean towards a Mini 14 if it were not for the expense of mags and the fact that it will not accept the seven 30 round AR mags I already have for the KT SU16.

I know I need to get over my hard on for Ruger products, but I guess I just still have a problem w/ that ever time I look at all the pre-ban G22 mags I bought before the sunset, but that is for another thread altogether............

Yow, a lot more than what I wanted to spend, and I thought the Bushy guns were high.

Maybe I am being un-realistic about this, in looking to do this for less than $1200 or so for a complete gun?

At that kind of $$ I'd rather do one of a couple things to see if they work -

1. Torture test my KT SU16 to see how far it can be pushed and buy a second one then if it makes it (hey I'm not going to fight a war w/ the thing, I've got AKs and an M1A for that past what I am comfortable with.

2. Dump the KT and AR mags and go get a couple of Mini 14s and a whole bunch of mags.

3. Sell my KT and my 870 and go buy a nice 1187P and the softest shooting loads it will still function with.

Part of this plan is something to supplement my HD gun for in a long gun that I KNOW my old lady can shoot also if I am not here besides my 870 (which is too much for her and too much to reload quickly and easily under stress), and won't tear though the outer CBS of the house like one of the AKs will. A pistol caliber carbine scares me for zipping through 4" sheet rock too much too. That leaves low recoil to smaller sized buckshot, a 12 ga or smaller SG, or a mag fed .223 gun. I figuring the easiest thing for her is a mag fed .223 gun and a bunch of spare mags?

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